LSU wins College World Series

Louisiana State, which two years ago wasn’t good enough to qualify for its conference tournament, is the best team in college baseball again.

The Tigers won their sixth national title Wednesday night, breaking open Game 3 of the College World Series finals with a five-run sixth inning that carried them to an 11-4 victory over Texas.

Jared Mitchell hit a three-run homer in the first inning as Louisiana State (56-17) built a 4-0 lead. Texas (50-16-1) pulled even, but Mikie Mahtook’s tie-breaking double ignited the Tigers’ big sixth against the mistake-prone Longhorns.

Anthony Ranaudo (12-3) got the win in a so-so outing in which he gave up four runs, eight hits and five walks in 5 1/3 innings. Brandon Workman (3-5) took the loss.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BCS presidents reject playoff plan

Bowl Championship Series presidents have rejected the Mountain West Conference’s playoff plan. The conference proposed an eight-team playoff system that would allow greater access to the national championship game to teams outside the six most powerful leagues. The BCS presidential oversight committee rejected the concept during a teleconference.

“There was no overall support for the proposal, although some conferences were interested in considering certain elements of it in the future -- particularly those related to revenue, access and governance of the BCS arrangement,” said University of Oregon President David Frohnmayer, the outgoing committee chairman.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Michael Jordan’s son to quit basketball

Michael Jordan’s son, Jeff, is leaving Illinois after two seasons.

The former walk-on guard surprised nearly everyone by announcing that he plans to focus on his studies, just a few months after Illinois Coach Bruce Weber said Jordan had a chance to earn more playing time and even a leadership role during his junior year.

Weeks after learning he had a form of pancreatic cancer, Brigham Young Coach Dave Rose said that doctors appeared to have gotten all the cancerous tumor during emergency surgery to remove his spleen.

The tumor had started in his pancreas, but was a slow-growing type of cancer and did not appear to have spread.

Elliot Williams, whose move into the starting lineup provided Duke with a late-season spark, is leaving the Blue Devils after one season because of unspecified family medical reasons.

The Western Athletic Conference is moving its season-ending men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to Las Vegas in 2011.

PRO FOOTBALL

Peppers signs deal with Carolina

Julius Peppers’ stalemate with the Carolina Panthers is over. Peppers signed his one-year, $16.7-million tender, five months after the four-time Pro Bowl selection first announced he wanted to play elsewhere next season. Peppers is Carolina’s all-time sacks leader.

ETC.

Clay might sit out U.S. championships

Olympic decathlon champion Bryan Clay injured his left hamstring while practicing for the U.S. track championships and says he’s questionable for the start of the meet today in Eugene, Ore.

Clay said he’ll warm up before the first event and will decide whether he can compete in the sport’s most grueling event.

The International Olympic Committee said it will take “necessary measures” if gymnastics officials determine that China used two underage gymnasts at the 2000 Summer Games.

The investigation into Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun’s eligibility has been turned over to a disciplinary commission, the International Gymnastics Federation announced Tuesday. If they are found to be underage, the commission could recommend sanctions to the FIG’s executive committee.

The cash-strapped Formula One series prevented a breakup when the FIA’s divisive and scandal-plagued president, Max Mosley, agreed to scrap a planned budget cap and step down at the end of his term.

Mosley will take a back-seat role until his 16-year tenure ends in October, a move aimed at easing some of the acrimony that has blighted Formula One in recent months.